It has been said, by people likely smarter than myself, that inside every adult lurks a commencement speaker dying to get out. While this insight is prescient for all, it is particularly relevant for those looking for a cheap topic for a newspaper column during graduation season.

Let's start with this premise: "Income inequality" is one of the more absurd catchphrases of modern discourse. We'll lump it with "The Great Recession" and "awfully good" as items that fall into the category of oxymoronic/nonsensical/overused tools of rhetoric.

At the risk of revealing more than I should about the enormous financial windfall that comes with being a journalist, I'll let you in on a secret — a proposed capital-gains tax in Washington would not apply to me.

We'll concede this much: Jim McIntire knows more about taxes and income and finances than I do. At least I hope he does, considering that he is the state treasurer and has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Washington.

Some 23 years ago, as Los Angeles was smoldering from the Rodney King riots, a friend of mine put forth an interesting thesis: "Television is evil," he said. "Without television, we wouldn't be having these riots."

It was like a tennis match. A hopelessly one-sided tennis match, with Jaime Herrera Beutler playing the role of Serena Williams and the Clark County Republican Party looking like a weekend recreational player.

Sometimes, inexplicably, you find yourself at the intersection of dumb and clever, of foolish and inspired, of gutsy but harmless. Sometimes you arrive at a moment that will create a memorable story for years to come.

Phew! I'm glad we cleared that up. I'm glad we answered that question. I'm happy there are no lingering doubts about the impact a proposed oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver would have on a proposed waterfront development nearby.

David Darby, the best evidence suggests, is a true believer. A rebel with a cause. A 69-year-old scofflaw whose ideology is so entrenched that he will travel down the most arcane of legal avenues in pursuit of his goal.

Admittedly, it can't be easy being a politician. All of that legislating and lawmaking and representing can wear on a person. And when you aren't making laws, you're campaigning so you can stay in office and make more laws.